Invest in Child Protection and Support for Families, Global Conference Told

Invest in Child Protection and Support for Families, Global Conference Told

SOS Children’s Villages represents child-focused groups at the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa

ADDIS ABABA – Representing international child-focused organizations, SOS Children’s Villages is delivering this message to a high-profile gathering of world leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the international Financing for Development conference is being held under the auspices of the United Nations.

On Wednesday, July 15, Dereje Wordofa, SOS Children’s Villages’ International Director for the East and South Africa Region, will represent child-focused organizations at a panel discussion sponsored by UNICEF and featuring government ministers from Argentina, Ethiopia, and Ghana, as well as other global development organizations. Wordofa, will help the panel tackle challenging questions regarding the case for investing in the most disadvantaged children and the major steps we need to take to deliver on the Post-2015 Agenda for children.

Wordofa will seek to highlight that if investments are to be effective, children need individual development plans and to be supported throughout adolescence to adulthood. In addition, programs protecting children from violence yield a high return on the investment.

This is the third international conference of Financing for Development. It is being held at a critical time in the Post-2015 process – the development of new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to build on the Millennium Development Goals.

The SDGs will guide global development over the next 15 years and will be finalized at the United Nations General Assembly this September. A ‘Zero Draft’ of the 17 goals, plus 169 corresponding targets, has been published and is available here.

There are some positive signs that the need to invest in children is understood by the development community. The draft ‘outcome document’ for the Financing for Development conference says:

“We recognize that investing in children and youth is critical to achieving inclusive, equitable and sustainable development for present and future generations, and we recognize the need to support countries that face particular challenges to make the requisite investments in this area. We reaffirm the vital importance of promoting and protecting the rights of all children, and ensuring that no child is left behind.”

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtags #FFD3, #Action2015 and #InvestforChildren.

SOS Children’s Villages is an organization that is committed to the care of orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children. With over 70 years of experience and a presence in 134 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages works to ensure every child is raised in a loving, stable family environment. To learn more about SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org. Follow us on Twitter at @SOSChildrenUSA.

SOS Children’s Villages is an organization that is committed to the care of orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children. With over 70 years of experience and a presence in 134 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages works to ensure every child is raised in a loving, stable family environment. To learn more about SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org. Follow us on Twitter at @SOSChildrenUSA. - See more at: http://www.sos-usa.org/newsroom/grammy-award-winning-guitarist-albert-lee-and-sos#sthash.WSkHguRN.dpuf

- See more at: http://www.sos-usa.org/newsroom/investing-in-children-matters-global-conference-on#sthash.U9HchVb0.dpuf

ADDIS ABABA – Representing international child-focused organizations, SOS Children’s Villages is delivering this message to a high-profile gathering of world leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the international Financing for Development conference is being held under the auspices of the United Nations.

On Wednesday, July 15, Dereje Wordofa, SOS Children’s Villages’ International Director for the East and South Africa Region, will represent child-focused organizations at a panel discussion sponsored by UNICEF and featuring government ministers from Argentina, Ethiopia, and Ghana, as well as other global development organizations. Wordofa, will help the panel tackle challenging questions regarding the case for investing in the most disadvantaged children and the major steps we need to take to deliver on the Post-2015 Agenda for children.

Wordofa will seek to highlight that if investments are to be effective, children need individual development plans and to be supported throughout adolescence to adulthood. In addition, programs protecting children from violence yield a high return on the investment.

This is the third international conference of Financing for Development. It is being held at a critical time in the Post-2015 process – the development of new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to build on the Millennium Development Goals.

The SDGs will guide global development over the next 15 years and will be finalized at the United Nations General Assembly this September. A ‘Zero Draft’ of the 17 goals, plus 169 corresponding targets, has been published and is available here.

There are some positive signs that the need to invest in children is understood by the development community. The draft ‘outcome document’ for the Financing for Development conference says:

“We recognize that investing in children and youth is critical to achieving inclusive, equitable and sustainable development for present and future generations, and we recognize the need to support countries that face particular challenges to make the requisite investments in this area. We reaffirm the vital importance of promoting and protecting the rights of all children, and ensuring that no child is left behind.”

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtags #FFD3, #Action2015 and #InvestforChildren.

SOS Children’s Villages is an organization that is committed to the care of orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children. With over 70 years of experience and a presence in 134 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages works to ensure every child is raised in a loving, stable family environment. To learn more about SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org. Follow us on Twitter at @SOSChildrenUSA.

SOS Children’s Villages is an organization that is committed to the care of orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children. With over 70 years of experience and a presence in 134 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages works to ensure every child is raised in a loving, stable family environment. To learn more about SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org. Follow us on Twitter at @SOSChildrenUSA. - See more at: http://www.sos-usa.org/newsroom/grammy-award-winning-guitarist-albert-lee-and-sos#sthash.WSkHguRN.dpuf

ADDIS ABABA - At a global conference in Ethiopia last week, international leaders tackled the question of how to finance development policies and programs, including support for the world’s most vulnerable children.

SOS Children’s Villages, in partnership with UNICEF and other child-focused organizations, was an active contributor to the conference, organizing several side events that highlighted the importance of investing in children.

One such side event, entitled “Financing for Equity and Making an Investment Case for Children”, featured the participation of Mr Dereje Wordofa, SOS Children’s Villages International Director for East and South Africa, who was speaking as a representative of other child-focused organizations.

The side event in Addis Ababa was a significant forum alongside the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which, amongst other objectives, aimed to support the implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. More information on the conference is available here: http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/ffd3/index.html

The Investment Case for Children

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Yoka Brandt opened the event saying that “millions of children were left behind” by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She said that the MDG results were reported in national averages which hid inequalities suffered by some segments of society. She urged that “the most vulnerable and the most disadvantaged children have to be at the heart of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals, which will guide the development agenda for the next 15 years].”

Mr. Wordofa, speaking on the behalf of child-focused organizations, said that “caring and protecting children is a legal obligation of the governments and they are the ultimate duty-bearers in fulfilling children’s rights.”

Mr. Wordofa suggested three key means through which every child could be granted fair start in life.

First, he called governments to provide “multi-dimensional support for children,” taking into consideration that “each child needs to be seen individually in the contexts of community and family.” This requires investing in training for social workers and general investment in family strengthening programs.

Second, Mr. Wordofa said that support for vulnerable children must begin in early childhood and extend into youth and early adulthood.

Third, Mr. Wordofa called on governments to fund child protection: “There are 65 million children living today who have experienced armed conflict, and more than 1 million children on the move. The abuse increases in this context.”

A statement issued by the child-focused organizations said that “the Addis Ababa Action Agenda is a milestone agreement for children and represents a step forward toward the recognition of the vital importance of promoting and protecting the rights of all children, and ensuring that no child is left behind.” The statement is available here: https://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/501949

The communique concluded: “The real success of this historic agreement of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development will be measured by what is taken forward and how it mobilizes domestic public resources, domestic and international private business and finance and international development cooperation to create sustainable and positive change for the most vulnerable and marginalized, particularly children, young people and women.”

SOS Children’s Villages is an organization that is committed to the care of orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children. With over 70 years of experience and a presence in 134 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages works to ensure every child is raised in a loving, stable family environment. To learn more about SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org. Follow us on Twitter at @SOSChildrenUSA.

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SOS Children's Villages is the largest organization devoted to the care of orphaned and abandoned children. We are present in 135 countries and territories, including the United States.